Policy information sourced from the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan

CSM 2: Supply of Land-won Minerals in Kent

Mineral working will be granted planning permission at sites identified in the Minerals Sites Plan subject to meeting the requirements set out in the relevant site schedule in the Mineral Sites Plan and the development plan.

Aggregates

Provision will be made for the supply of land-won aggregates as follows:

  • Sharp sand and gravel: At least 10.08mt and a landbank of at least seven years supply (5.46mt) will be maintained while resources allow. The rate of supply will decline through the Plan period from a supply of a 10-year average of around 0.78mtpa and resources will be progressively worked out (unless additional sites are brought forward which would be assessed against Policy CSM4). Demand will instead be met from other sources, principally a combination of recycled and secondary aggregates, landings of MDA, blended materials and imports of crushed rock through wharves and railheads. The actual proportions will be decided by the market.
  • Soft sand: Rolling landbanks for the whole of the plan period and beyond of at least seven years equivalent to at least 15.6mt, comprising 10.6mt from existing permitted sources and 5.0mt from sites allocated in the Minerals Sites Plan.
  • Crushed rock: Rolling landbanks for the whole of the Plan period and beyond of at least ten years equivalent to at least 20.5mt, all from existing permitted sources.

Sites will be identified in the Mineral Sites Plan to support supplies of land-won aggregates at the stated levels above. A rolling average of ten years’ sales data and other relevant information will be used to assess landbank requirements on an on-going basis, and this will be kept under review through the annual production of a Local Aggregates Assessment.

Brickearth and Clay for Brick and Tile Manufacture

The stock of existing planning permissions at Paradise Farm, Orchard Farm, Hempstead House and Claxfield Road for brickearth clay for brick and tile making is sufficient for the plan period. Applications for sites supplying brickearth and clay for brick and tile making will be dealt within in accordance with the policies of this Plan. The existence of a stock of permitted reserves of at least 25 years (as reported in the latest Annual Monitoring report) to support the level of actual and proposed investment required for new or existing plant and the maintenance and improvement of existing plant and equipment will be a material consideration.

Silica Sand

In response to planning applications, the Mineral Planning Authority will seek to permit sites for silica sand production sufficient to provide a stock of permitted reserves of at least 10 years for individual sites of 10 years and 15 years for sites where significant new capital is required, to support the level of actual and proposed investment required for new or existing plant and the maintenance and improvement of existing plant and equipment. Proposals will be considered on their own merits, having regard to the policies of the Development Plan as a whole subject to them demonstrating:

  • how the mineral resources meet technical specifications required for silica sand (industrial sand) end uses
  • how the mineral resources will be used efficiently so that high-grade sand deposits are reserved for industrial end uses

Chalk for Agriculture and Engineering Purposes

The stock of existing planning permissions for chalk is sufficient to supply Kent’s requirements for agricultural and engineering chalk over the plan period. Applications for sites supplying chalk for agriculture and engineering purposes will be dealt with in accordance with the policies of this Plan. The need for additional supplies of chalk will be assessed based on the latest assessment of supply and demand set out in the Annual Monitoring Report.

Clay for Engineering Purposes

A site for the extraction of clay for engineering purposes will be identified at Norwood Quarry and Landfill Site in the Minerals Sites Plan. Other sites will be identified if required in order to enable clay extraction to continue through the Plan period to supply Kent’s requirements.

Selection of Sites in the Minerals Sites Plan

The criteria that will be taken into account for selecting and screening the suitability of sites for identification in the Minerals Sites Plan will include:

  • the requirements for minerals set out above
  • relevant policies set out in Chapter 7: Development Management Policies
  • relevant policies in district local plans and neighbourhood plans
  • strategic environmental information, including landscape assessment and HRA as appropriate
  • their deliverability
  • other relevant national planning policy and guidance

For more information please see the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan